LWI Region 4
LWI Region 4
Background
As a result of the extensive flooding of 2016, the State of Louisiana worked with local governments to develop a new approach to managing our floodplains. The Louisiana Watershed Initiative (LWI) was established to manage this program. In 2019, the State was divided into eight watershed regions. Region 4 is made up of the western part of the state and encompasses nine parishes: DeSoto, Sabine, Vernon, Rapides, Beauregard, Allen, Calcasieu, Jefferson Davis, and Cameron.
We formed a LWI Coalition Policy Committee (CPC) composed of a representative from each of the 9 parishes to help guide our watershed-based solutions within Region 4. The CPC will establish a permanent coalition for Region 4 where future hazard mitigation funding will flow through.
The Louisiana Office of Community Development provided funding to each region to build the capacity to manage the program. Each region designated a fiscal agent to manage the funding and capacity-building process.
The Region 4 Parishes designated Southwest Louisiana Regional Planning Commission (SWLA RPC) to serve as the fiscal agent and organizing body. As a fiscal agent, the SWLA RPC will facilitate the establishment of the Region 4 watershed coalition.
Coalition Policy Committee (CPC) Members
ALLEN PARISH POLICE JURY – Jacob Dillehay, Parish Engineer
BEAUREGARD PARISH POLICE JURY – Bryan McReynolds, Parish Administrator
CALCASIEU PARISH POLICE JURY – Alberto Galan, Assistant to the Administrator
CAMERON PARISH POLICE JURY – Kara Bonsall, Coastal Zone Management Administrator
DESOTO PARISH POLICE JURY – Tom Fontcuberta
JEFF DAVIS PARISH POLICE JURY – John Marceaux
RAPIDES AREA PLANNING COMMISSION – Matt Johns, Executive Director
SABINE PARISH POLICE JURY – Bill Weatherford, Secretary Treasurer
VERNON PARISH POLICE JURY – Rhonda Plummer, Parish Administrator/Treasurer
CITY OF LAKE CHARLES – Stacy Dowden, Director of Public Works
CITY OF OAKDALE – Richard Bolmaricich
PORT OF LAKE CHARLES – Channing Hayden, Director of Navigation
PORT OF LAKE CHARLES – Regan Brown, Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) Compliance Manager
CAMERON PARISH PORT, HARBOR, AND TERMINAL DISTRICT – Kim Monte, Executive Director
SABINE PARISH RIVER AUTHORITY – Warren Founds III, Executive Director
COUSHATTA TRIBE OF LOUISIANA – Garden Rose, Natural Resources Manager
COUSHATTA TRIBE OF LOUISIANA – Jonathan Cernek, Tribal Chairman
COUSHATTA TRIBE OF LOUISIANA – Kristian Poncho, Secretary/Treasurer